The present invention generally regards navigation systems and security systems for vehicular electronics. More particularly, the present invention regards the integration of a personal navigation system, a vehicular navigation system, and a faceplate security system for a vehicular electronic system.
Navigation systems are gaining more and more acceptance within the consumer market with increasing device availability, increasing device reliability, and lower prices. Generally, there have been two markets for navigation devices: the automotive market where the navigation system is mainly used to get driving directions; and the outdoor market where the navigation system is mainly used to find a way through nature (for instance, in national parks, forests, etc.). Both markets have developed very specific devices to serve exactly these needs. Therefore, a user interested in both hiking and driving directions is forced to buy two units with almost the same components.
With respect to vehicular electronic systems, some car stereo systems provide detachable faceplates as theft prevention. These detachable faceplates can be removed to prevent potential thieves from attempting to steal the car stereo, since the car stereo is of no use without the faceplate. This method may therefore rely on two basic facts for the method to be effective. First, that it is apparent from outside the vehicle when the faceplate is removed, and second, that it is generally commonly known that a car stereo without a faceplate is inoperative. Therefore, when a potential thief looks into a vehicle and sees that a faceplate is removed, there is no longer a valuable stereo to steal. The faceplate may include a display, functional buttons, and possibly even a microprocessor, but it is useless without the part built into the car. Therefore, the user must carry a useless piece (the faceplate) out of the car and carry it just to prevent the other part (the remainder of the stereo) from being stolen.
There are navigation systems available which fit in the DIN (Deutsche Institut fuer Normung, a member of International Organization for Standardization) slot of an ordinary car stereo. These in-car navigation systems provide vehicle position and direction information to a driver or other vehicle occupant. This navigation information may include turn-by-turn navigation (i.e., the navigation system tells the user in advance if the user has to turn at an upcoming intersection).
GPS receivers for outdoor use may include a display, functional buttons, a microprocessor, a battery, and a GPS receiver. Several models are available on the market. Outdoor GPS receivers may be capable of showing map information.
Therefore, what is needed is a device that provides theft protection via a detachable faceplate and that also provides the functionality of a handheld navigation device useful for non-automotive applications.
A system and method for a detachable navigation system is provided. A faceplate includes an antenna for receiving navigation signals, a processor electrically coupled to the antenna for determining a position, a display electrically coupled to the processor for displaying navigation information, and at least one input arrangement. The faceplate is able to be installed on a front side of a vehicular electronic unit in a dashboard of a vehicle. The at least one input arrangement controls the vehicular electronic unit when the faceplate is received on the front side of the vehicular electronic unit. A system for navigating includes a handheld unit. The handheld unit includes an antenna, a processor electrically coupled to the antenna, and a display electrically coupled to the processor. A further antenna is situated on a vehicle and a receptacle is situated in a dashboard of the vehicle for receiving the handheld unit. The receptacle electrically couples the further antenna to the handheld unit when the handheld unit is received in the receptacle. The handheld unit operates to navigate a user in a stand-alone capacity and operates to navigate a driver of the vehicle when the handheld unit is received in the receptacle. A method for navigating a pedestrian, navigating a driver, and securing a vehicular electronic component is provided. The method includes determining by a processor whether a handheld unit is received in a dashboard receptacle. The processor is situated in the handheld unit and electrically coupled to an antenna situated in the handheld unit. The processor is electrically coupled to a display situated in the handheld unit. The dashboard receptacle is situated in the vehicle. The method provides for navigating the pedestrian using the antenna if the handheld unit is not received in the dashboard receptacle. The method provides for navigating the driver using a further antenna if the handheld unit is received in the dashboard receptacle. The further antenna is situated on the vehicle.